Hi,
I'm a Canadian citizen who works on H1B. My 485 is pending and my AP was approved last month. My lawyer said, in order to maintain my H1B status after travel abroad, I need to get H1B visa from Canada. I went all the way to Calgary from the east coast, only to have the US immigration officer tell me at the consulate that my lawyer was wrong and Canadians don't need H1B visa. PERIOD. No matter where they enter the USA from. Because I told her I had heard visa is NOT needed when entering from Canada, but IS needed if a Canadian were to say fly in from Europe (basically from outside Continental N. America). She said NOT TRUE and gave me a paper which says as much. She said I just need to show my passport and H1B approval notice and I'll be let back in to the country. So, here I'm back in the USA, without having to use AP and was let back in after I told the US INS officer at Calgary airport that I'm a Canadian working on H1B. Interestingly, he gave me no I-94 either. However, I guess when I come in from Europe next month, I would get an I-94. But I recommend keeping the AP with you, just as a safety backup. Oh btw, you should also keep a letter with you from your emploer saying since when you have been employed and general nature of duties.
If only I had known, I could have saved myself from a trip to the frigid north pole (Calgary). I hope you can benefit from my experience.
CalvinX
I'm a Canadian citizen who works on H1B. My 485 is pending and my AP was approved last month. My lawyer said, in order to maintain my H1B status after travel abroad, I need to get H1B visa from Canada. I went all the way to Calgary from the east coast, only to have the US immigration officer tell me at the consulate that my lawyer was wrong and Canadians don't need H1B visa. PERIOD. No matter where they enter the USA from. Because I told her I had heard visa is NOT needed when entering from Canada, but IS needed if a Canadian were to say fly in from Europe (basically from outside Continental N. America). She said NOT TRUE and gave me a paper which says as much. She said I just need to show my passport and H1B approval notice and I'll be let back in to the country. So, here I'm back in the USA, without having to use AP and was let back in after I told the US INS officer at Calgary airport that I'm a Canadian working on H1B. Interestingly, he gave me no I-94 either. However, I guess when I come in from Europe next month, I would get an I-94. But I recommend keeping the AP with you, just as a safety backup. Oh btw, you should also keep a letter with you from your emploer saying since when you have been employed and general nature of duties.
If only I had known, I could have saved myself from a trip to the frigid north pole (Calgary). I hope you can benefit from my experience.
CalvinX